We don’t think about it much as needlepointers, but there are many delightful stitches in free embroidery that can easily be used for needlepoint.
In recent posts on her blog Needle n’Thread, Mary Corbet shares two delightful stitches that add whimsy to needlepoint. Drizzle Stitch, pictured above, uses long lines of knots made around a needle to create floppy narrow ltendrils that are topped with a bead. As you can see, it’s has a Dr. Seuss feel to the result.
This stitch works for needlepoint because the needle emerges from one place for all the tendrils. Enlarging this hole might be necessarily for larger sets.
The second stitch, Knotted Herringbone Band, pictured below, makes for a complex and interesting border.
This stitch works for needlepoint because the knotted areas(red in sample) are done above the ground fabric or canvas. The stitch begins with two rows of Backstitches even in length an even distance apart. The Knotted Herringbone is done on each pair of Backstitches.
Make those stitches small for a dense design such as the one pictured here. Use longer Backstitches, or skip stitches, for a more open pattern.
Look around, you may find more embroidery stitches you can adapt.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
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